Detective Comics #267
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeDetective Comics #267 (May 1959) is the debut issue of Bat-Mite, the fifth-dimensional imp who became one of the most distinctive — and divisive — figures of the Silver Age Batman mythos. The character's introduction cemented DC's editorial strategy of the late 1950s: softening Batman's darker, pulp-influenced roots by surrounding him with whimsical, science-fiction-flavored supporting players drawn directly from the Superman franchise playbook, mirroring the success of Mr. Mxyzptlk. Bat-Mite's five-year run across Batman, Detective Comics, and World's Finest Comics before being retired by editor Julius Schwartz in 1964 makes this issue a precise snapshot of where the Batman line stood philosophically at the height of the Atomic Age — a snapshot that the character's repeated revivals, from Grant Morrison's Batman run to a 2015 solo miniseries, have returned to again and again as a lens for examining the gap between the 'fun' Batman and the 'serious' one. The issue also carries the distinction, noted in the DC Database, of marking Batman's 500th published appearance.
In "Batman Meets Bat-Mite," a mysterious underground sea legend takes a bizarre turn when reporter Roy Raymond investigates claims of people turning into fish—only to discover the truth is far stranger than myth. With art by Amilcar Ruben Moreira and a cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye, this 1959 tale blends eerie mystery and clever deception, as Roy’s dive into the whale leads to a hidden treasure and a scheme built on fear.
In "The Mystery of the Magic Sea!" from Detective Comics #267, Roy Raymond investigates a chilling local legend about an underground sea where swimmers turn into fish—only to discover the truth is far stranger than myth. When two men vanish after diving in, replaced by fish, Roy takes the plunge himself, only to find himself inside a whale and uncovering a hidden treasure scheme beneath the lake bed.
In "John Jones' Farewell to Earth," Manhunter Jo finds himself drawn into an otherworldly mystery when Jovians arrive on Earth during a downpour, seeking a fugitive but hindered by their vulnerability to water. With the rain making their mission nearly impossible, they turn to Jo for help—offering passage home in exchange for his aid.
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The issue was produced under editor Jack Schiff, with associate editors Murray Boltinoff and George Kashdan, during a period when Schiff was actively building out a 'Batman Family' of auxiliary characters — Batwoman had arrived in 1956, Bat-Girl in 1961 was still ahead — partly to answer Fredric Wertham's earlier moral critiques of the title. Writer Bill Finger, one of Batman's co-creators, scripted the lead story, with Sheldon Moldoff handling interior art (as he routinely did throughout the era, often working under the Bob Kane byline); the cover was drawn by Curt Swan with inks by Stan Kaye, a noteworthy pairing given Swan's primary association with Superman rather than Batman. The Bat-Mite concept drew transparently from DC's existing Superman mythology — specifically the already-popular Mister Mxyzptlk — transposing the imp archetype to the Batman titles as the superhero genre fought to remain commercially viable against the era's dominance of science fiction.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of Bat-Mite, a hero-worshipping magical imp from another dimension who wears an ill-fitting copy of Batman's costume; written by Bill Finger, drawn by Sheldon Moldoff, inked by Charles Paris.
- Lead story is titled 'Batman Meets Bat-Mite'; cover date is May 1959, with an on-sale date (per copyright registration) of March 24, 1959.
- Cover art is by Curt Swan (pencils) and Stan Kaye (inks) — Swan was primarily DC's Superman artist, making his presence here a notable cross-franchise assignment.
- Editor: Jack Schiff; associate editors Murray Boltinoff and George Kashdan. The issue was published under the National Comics Publications Inc. indicia and carried the Comics Code Authority seal.
- The issue is an anthology: backup stories feature Roy Raymond (TV Detective), art by Ruben Moreira, and a Martian Manhunter story ('John Jones' Farewell to Earth') scripted by Jack Miller (?) with art by Joe Certa.
- Bat-Mite actively appeared in Batman, Detective Comics, and World's Finest Comics for five years before editor Julius Schwartz retired the character in 1964 as part of the 'New Look' Batman revamp that also removed Batwoman, Bat-Girl, and Ace the Bat-Hound.
- The lead Bat-Mite story has been reprinted numerous times, including in Batman Annual #7 (Summer 1964), Batman in the Fifties (2002 and 2021 editions), Batman: The Black Casebook (2009), DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals Vol. 2 (2010), World's Funnest (2016), and Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman (2019).
- Per the DC Database, this issue coincides with Batman's 500th published appearance.
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Reprints
Reprinted in Detective Comics #9 (1959), The Hundred Comic Monthly #37 (1959), Big Boss #48 (1960), Batman Annual #7 (1964), Batman #178 (1966), Colossal Comic #36 (1966), World's Finest Comics #184 (1969), Supermann #19/1969 (1969), Superman #1/1970 (1970), Big Boss #29 (1976), Superman Poche #24 (1979), Batman in the Fifties #[nn] (2002), Showcase Presents: Martian Manhunter #1 (2007), Batman: The Black Casebook #[nn] (2009), DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals #2 (2010), Grant Morrison présente Batman #4 (2013), World's Funnest #[nn] (2016), Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman #[nn] (2019), Batman in the Fifties #[nn] (2021)
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